Readership development > Aims

What are the project’s aims and objectives?

• Develop a new role for key library staff as promoters and enablers of creative reading.
• Create greater access to contemporary writing for new and existing readers through the popular network of public libraries.
• Increased opportunities for reader-to-reader contact and participation through reading groups, bookchains etc including online and postal schemes to reach isolated readers.
• Training and promotion in the use of ICT to deliver promotional materials, online staff training and resources for readers.
• New partnerships between public libraries and other players in the literature sector in Scotland - literature development workers, independent publishers, literature festivals and booksellers.
• An infrastructure of strategic support, management understanding and skilled activists on the ground to sustain and develop the work beyond the life of the project.

What are the main activities?

• The project will improve the creative and technical practice of reader development in Scottish libraries by providing practical training and support to library staff at different levels across 32 authorities. The training will be embedded in practical projects with direct benefits to readers of all ages and backgrounds.The project will create one national literature promotion and many smaller local ones. The creative excellence of project content and participation by readers will be supported and evaluated through the training and development programme.
• Participating authorities will be required to select an appropriate member of staff and commit time and managerial support to their involvement as Reader Development Co-ordinators. Up to 32 librarians will receive an intensive programme of training, including training in project management and marketing skills, which are not part of professional library training. This will create a strong skills base on which to build a sustainable growth in reader development.
• There will be a programme of training days, open to 90 professional librarians to develop core reader development skills and to support specific promotions. Online training in reader development is currently being discussed by Opening the Book and the Arts Council of England and it is envisaged that this would dovetail with Scottish training opportunities.The quality of the training will be guaranteed by the high standards of the training consultants who have an outstanding 10-year track record in this area. Opening the Book will develop new training content with the Scottish Library Association which addresses the specific Scottish circumstances in an innovative way.

What results do you expect the project to achieve?

The main outcome will be to increase access to the richness and diversity of contemporary literature by using the popular base and extensive networks of the public library service. At the moment this service is largely provision-based and response-driven; this project will give librarians the skills to become active literature promoters, offering new opportunities to readers and developing new audiences for contemporary writing. The network that is created will be sustainable and continue to develop under the leadership of the Scottish Library Association (now CILIPS) beyond the life of the project.